Welcome to ITCH - the Ipswich triathlon club hand-out - for April 2008...

Well done everybody who competed at Wattisham. Things I shan't forget for quite a while include:

• the wind
• the very polite encouragement - "well done Sir"
• the wind
• bombing up and down a runway with a helicopter hovering overhead  - which looked like it didn't know where to land
• the wind

I've been promised a write-up which I'll include in next ITCH with a league update and (hopefully) some photographs but, without giving too much away, congratulations go to quite a few members who won place  medals and trophies - including "best novice"...

If you can't wait, I'm told you can find the results at http://www.hadleighhares.webeden.co.uk/ (click on Hadleigh Triathlon Results). If you competed and cannot find yourself there, please let me know so I can include you in the ITCH league.

Charlie Stannett - itch@ipswich-tri.org

Our men's captain is Steve de Boltz

We’ve had a fantastic increase in numbers attending the Saturday morning swim sessions – Charlie tells me we were almost “full” last week – which is brilliant, but don't overlook our social get-togethers on Thursday evenings at Greshams. The informal training sessions planned for the next month or so are shown below and including a Fynn Valley run tomorrow, May 1st.

If you're joining in the training, come ready for a 7:00 start - and don't forget to bring some bar-friendly clothes as well.

dB
Steve can be contacted on 07795 564322 or steve@ipswich-tri.org

Our ladies' captain is Kate Stannett.

Summer's here, and the time is right, for ... thinking about the Friday Fives!

This is a series of five five mile runs, all held on a Friday evening. As well as racing within the individual races, you are racing in the overall series standings, with your best four positions counting.  The club normally has one or two ladies featuring in the age group podium places.

On top of that, one of the events - the Kirton Friday Five - is also the Suffolk county championship race for which most of us are eligible, so tick the box.

The events are:

Duathlete "SR" from Ipswich, UK says "I went to the Pyrenees Big Bike Camp and the following Wednesday I achieved a 10 mile time trial PB by over a minute.  It's great training."

If you want to be on a ring round list for notification of changes at short notice then let Steve dB have your number. Steve is on 07795 564322.

Saturday 26 April 2008 - In celebration of Broomhill Pool's 70th anniversary: OPEN DAY - BROOMHILL POOL 10:00-17:00, followed by BBQ AND PARTY - EMPEROR PUBLIC HOUSE 18:00 onwards.

The Broomhill Pool Trust will host an "open day" at the pool from 10:00am to 17:00. The public will be able to view safe areas of the pool site. There will be an exhibition of the pool, competitions, vintage cars and raffle prizes.  Entrance is free, but donations to the Broomhill Pool Trust will be welcome.

In the evening a BBQ and party will be held at the Broomhill Pool Trust's “worldwide HQ” at Emperor Public House on Norwich Road. Entrance is free, but donations to the Broomhill Pool Trust will be welcome. All proceeds from the BBQ go to the Trust.

A special "Broomhill 70th Birthday" souvenir booklet will be sold at £2.00 per copy. www.savebroomhillpool.org

ITCH league

But I'm certain there are some errors here - for example, I know that John W raced, and in club kit, but for some reason his club data is missing.

So, if you competed and cannot find yourself listed here, please let me know where to find you in the results so I can include you in the ITCH league.

Please remember that club kit is ordered through Heather Collinson by e-mailing kit@ipswich-tri.org or by ringing 01473-620651 - not by e-mailing ITCH. You can confirm your order by sending a cheque (payable to "Ipswich triathlon club") to Heather at 14 Spindler Close, Kesgrave, Ipswich, IP5 2DA.

Bungay was a day to remember.   The forecast was bad and you early starters at Diss Duathlon missed the worst of it, I think; early bird and all that.  But those of us at Bungay got well and truly blizzarded out.  I arrived in the snow then it stopped for a bit and, while in the usual long ladies bog queue, it came on again.  Those braves doing the full marathon (I had chickened out and swapped entries on the day) were passing the start again as we halfers lined up on the start line at start of their second lap and some of them did look very cold.  I saw one guy with shorts and very red legs, most other people had several layers and wooly hats. Someone optimistic had sunglasses!  But the cold wasn’t all bad.  

It was, as usual, beautifully organised by the Bungay Black Dog running club.  

Getting out of the snow covered carpark was a bit of an anxiety; waiting in turn on grassy mud and hoping that I wouldn’t be the one to get stuck on the “hill” and hold everyone up with skidding, revving and flying clods of mud.  Anxiety of mud and first race of season now over!

I had been looking forward to running this having done some serious training for the Thames Meander it should have been relatively straight forward. Gail at Next Gen had been urging caution saying are you sure you should do this as recovery takes some time etc. The gap was about 6 weeks and whilst the feet had been hurting for the first couple of weeks I was back at the gym and seemed in fair shape. Having run the course several times I knew what to expect - last time was 2006 and I managed about 4hr 26 mins so I was feeling confident of beating that time and had my sight set on 4 hours.

We had people over to dinner on the Saturday night and all drank rather a lot of wine finishing at about 1.00pm.

[see http://www.bungay-marathon.co.uk/ for more information - and pictures of the snow]
 

John Wankowski shows off his Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril-Sensitive Sunglasses...
(look them up on Google)

The Duathlon according to club lore is the ‘season opener’.

On a cold Sunday morning it helps you remember two things:

1. Why you should have done more training over the winter. As trying to catch the fat bastard in front of you who’s wearing the baggy sweat drenched t-shirt that sports the legend ‘powered by pie’ – simply hurts.
2. You can’t operate cycle helmet chin strap buckles, whilst wearing mittens.

This year’s race was a true classic. The forecast was poor for the day; the Met office was full of doom and gloom with possible snow, frosts, sleet, rain, wind, frogs and everything in between. I spent along time the evening before packing a huge amount of clothes into my bag just in-case I might need it. The possible combinations were endless.

The first questions many people posed to me Sunday morning were ‘what are you wearing today then?’

Winter duathlons bring out the worst streak of vanity in athletes when compared with, the same club member athlete at a summer event.

For swimmers the choice is simple ‘black or black wetsuit?’ Runners might ponder ‘what colour socks will look best with my new trainers?’ Cyclists spend hours agonising over just the right tint in their sunglasses to match the helmet and frame. Tri-athletes in the quest for speed and transition simplicity have club colour tri-suits, and strip away the agonising, but the winter duathletes just have more questions than answers.

‘Will I be too hot? Will I be too cold? Will this jumper slow me down as it’s baggy? How will my transition times be affected by a pair of mittens joined with string? Do the fluorescent leg-warmers go with anything else I’m wearing?’

The metallic air was cold and dry. As I raced up the A140 before registration ended, under leaden skies, on-coming vehicles were dusted with snow. When I got out of the warm cocoon of the car I wished that I’d brought a hat with me. Sadly the only item I had neglected to pack.

For once I was early and regretted it as this gives me time to fret. There were so many people milling around like penguins inside the HQ that they opened the tea stall before the race briefing. I think the rush had caught them off-guard as the urn was luke warm. Tap-water hot tea though was a perfect distraction and the little warmth it did provide brought feeling back into my fingers.

My warm-up was a joke and was mainly to prevent hypothermia. I was glad to start. With the blood pumping I forgot about being cold soon enough.

The structure of the Duathlon is simple 5k run, 30k on the bike (3 laps) and 5k run same course as the first leg. The start is in 3 waves, ten minutes apart.

The first 5k run lap took us into town and back. As I entered the school grounds for T1 the race leaders were only about 1 minute ahead and just mounting their bikes. I hadn’t pushed on the first run hoping to save something for the latter stages.

With several other competitors close I lost no time in making my escape, but my real race wasn’t there. I had my sights set on trying to match Dave Copland’s time, he’s faster then me but I know I can stick with him at a push and if I catch him on a bad day I can make him work hard. Trouble is trying to race someone who starts 10mins behind you isn’t easy. You can’t wait for them to catch you up to then pace against them as you’re already behind.

The runners and the cyclists share the same piece of road for ½ mile before the cycle circuit starts in earnest, just before the route split I spied him bounding up to the junction, I knew then he was having a good day.

The Director de Sportif had described the 1st third of the cycle circuit as ‘technical’. Me? Crotch jarringly rough. Avoiding potholes and the strip of grass in the centre of the road is not a mean feat, crouched down on aero-bars.

The race had now begun in earnest. The first run merely jostling for pole position and warming up the Cycle is where it really starts.

I started catching the few people who had entered T1 before me; it was now entering that nice bit of racing where everything just seems to be comfortable. I don’t think about anything else. I just enjoy being outside and pushing the pedals round.

I spent the first lap on my own, cycling into the falling flakes of snow, which ever way the wind is blowing they always seem to be heading straight at you.

I seem to spend a lot of time in races not fast enough to trouble the lead pack, but in a limbo ahead of a group. As my mind wanders, I sometimes day dream that I should slow down, so I could have some company. Then I fear that if I did that they’d chew me up in a sprint finish for the line.

As I’m musing a guy in nothing but a tri-suit and a posh bike that makes an expensive speedy whistling noise passes me. To see him so under dressed impervious to the cold almost makes me fall of in shock.

The rest of the two laps become a dual, each over taking and having to fall back to prevent drafting. But when part of my aero-bars drop off I have to let him go. He entered T2 about 20secs ahead.

The racks are practically empty when I get there. I grab my shoes and make a dash for the exit. I can see him ahead and about 3min ahead is the next competitor. I focus.

I start eating up the ground between us, steadily. I know I’ve got to catch him and put distance between us. He looks like he’s been carved out of a lump of corned beef still in the tin; I know I can’t let him get me in the sprint for the line.

It works. I gain steadily and pass him in the first 1.5km. He shouts that he’ll see me at the finish.

I’m now looking at the next one the gap is shrinking, but it’s still a gulf.

I just hold on trying not to get disheartened. He’s just too far ahead.

Coming around the last corner the majority of the second wave of runners is starting the final leg. Simon Palmer is limping, I shout to encourage him but he’s had enough.

I sprint for the line. I have been told that my sprint looks like an octopus in its death throes. I feel like it. Everything strains, I can hear Susannah shouting and world becomes a tunnel.

Suddenly it's over. I eat a banana, drink water and almost immediately start chattering my teeth. In the shower even my gums feel cold.

I was pleased with the race. We took a lot of age group silverware home. For the 1st race of the seasons it does remind you why you should train…

… because Dave did beat me by 3 minutes

Garmin 205 - "Continuously monitors your speed, distance, pace and calories burned and tracks your every movement with GPS. Receive detailed post workout analysis on the PC with the included Training Centre. Multi Sport capability lets you switch between sports without having to reset the unit so can easily be used on the bike too."
Brand new in the box. Bargain at £90 o.n.o. Contact Laura on 01449 771274

Quintana Roo Tequilo frame for sale, 53 cm. 2004 model - 7005 aluminium with carbon forks, royal blue with white bubbles.  Never been used as I brought this frame to build my bike but it was never completed.  Immaculate condition as it has only been out of its box three times. £310 or near offer. Call Emilie Fisher on 07921 905 502 for more information.

Trail-A-Bike, 3 speed, red.  Fits child age range approximately 4 to 8 years.
Quick Release fitting to a special rack (included) makes this bike much more convenient and easier to handle than the cheaper 'clamp to seat-post' style.
OIRO £80 - Louise Tanous tel 07973 772814 or 01787 224161

New Balance W834GR "D width" UK size 7 - test-driven only, never even got hot let alone sweaty! Still in box. £20 or offer - Kate Stannett - e-mail shepherdess@btinternet.com or ring/text 07729 318844.

Massage - Jackie Chubb has a regular room at Rede near Bury St Edmunds, available any time.
Open to members & non-members but booking is essential on 01284-789576 or 07985-496918.

This coming Saturday afternoon, 3^rd May, you could do a lot worse than cycling, riding, getting driven over to Edwardstone, near Boxford, where the White Horse music pub is holding the first of its two annual beer festivals.

Why Saturday afternoon? Because Hazey Maizey are playing live from 1:00 – 3:00, before being followed by Fat Hen who are playing more or less from 4:00 until 7:00, both bands featuring a club member...